Binder for a suspension file

ABSTRACT

A BINDER FOR RETAINER LOOSE PAGES IS ADAPTED TO BE STORED IN A CONVENTIONAL SUSPENSION FILE WHEN THE BINDER IS NOT IN USE. HOOK SHAPED MEMBERS PROJECT OUTWARDLY FROM THE SPINE OF EACH LEAF OF THE BINDER FOR ENGAGING PARALLELLY EXTENDING SUSPENSION RAILS.

June 6, 1972 F. D. JONAS 3,667,854

BINDER FOR A SUSPENSION FILE Filed Aug. 31, 1970 3 32' 32 7 3 X FIG. 5 4, 4o

26 52 2 2a 32 fW E I I8 28 25 in 42 24 FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

25 FRANK D. JONAS 39 FIG. 4 BY 3 2 ATTORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 40217 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A binder for retaining loose pages is adapted to be stored in a conventional suspension file when the binder is not in use. Hook shaped members project outwardly from the spine of each leaf of the binder for engaging parallelly extending suspension rails.

The recent trend toward increased use of computers in business, industry and education has developed specialized problems regarding the handling and filing of computer print-outs (the printed output of a computer). Since the information contained in the print-outs is often used for reference purposes, it must be centrally filed and easily accessible.

In view of the bulk of many computer print-outs, the objectives of central filing and easy accessibility have generally been accomplished by fastening the computer print-outs into conventional flexible post binders and storing the binders in conventional filing cabinets.

Attempts have been made to adapt the computer printout binders for filing in a conventional suspension file so thatt he binders would be more easily accessible. However, these attempts have not been successful because the supporting structure for the cross bars or other members which project outwardly from the ends of the binder to engage the rails of a suspension file often prevent the binder from folding to a flat position. Furthermore, the outwardly projecting end members are often sharp and mar and scratch the surfaces on which the binders are placed when they are being used.

One of the problems in developing a binder for computer print-out paper which is adaptable for filing in a conventional suspension file is that the print-out paper which is to be bound in the binder has pre-perforated holes positioned approximately one quarter inch from each lateral edge of the paper. Since the binder spindle is commonly inserted through these pre-perforated holes, scant space is left on the binder spine for providing adequate support structure for members extending outwardly to engage the rails of a suspension file.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a binder which is adapted for retaining loose pages and for filing in a conventional suspension file.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a binder which has smooth, non-marring end projections for engaging the rails of a suspension file.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a binder specifically adapted for retaining computer printout pages.

This invention provides a binder having a pair of leaves between which the material to be retained is supported. A standard spine used in conventional post binders is attached to each leaf of a preferred embodiment of the binder. A non-metallic hook shaped member projects outwardly from each end of each of the binder spines to slidably engage the rails of a conventional suspension file so that the binder can be stored in a hanging position when not in use. The hook members may be attached to each of the binder spines with a hollow rivet. A conventional flexible spindle is adapted to be inserted through the hollow rivets in each leaf of the binder, through the perfo- 3,667,854 Patented June 6, 1972 rated holes in the materila to be retained and finally through the corresponding rivets in the other leaf of the binder. Since the perforated holes in computer printout sheets are less than one quarter inch away from the lateral edges of the sheets, the hollow rivets are positioned near the outer extremities of each of the binder spines.

Another feature of this invention is that each of the hook members has a depression in its upper surface which is adapted for engaging the horizontally extending portion of the spindle thereby permitting the spindle to lie fiat and not interfere with the closing of each of the binder leaves over their respective spines.

Another feature of this invention is that the hook members are relatively thick in order to provide sufiicient material for them to be curvingly contoured so that they do not scratch or mar a surface on which the binder is placed. It is also necessary that the hook members be sufiiciently thick so that they can support the often bulky binder on the suspension rails. However, the thickness of the hook members may not exceed the thickness of the binder spine within which the hook members are supported. Otherwise the leaves of the binders would not close flat and space would be wasted in the file.

These and other objects and features of this invention will be more readily understood and appreciated by reference to the following descriptions and drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a binder according to this invention which is adapted for storing in a conventional suspension file;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view, partially cut away, of an opened suspension file binder according to this invention illustrating one of the binder spines;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the opened binder illustrated in FIG. 2 taken along the line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the opened binder illustrated in FIG. 2 taken along the line 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the hook member projecting outwardly from the ends of each of the binder leaf spines; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the hook member illustrated in FIG. 5 taken along the line 6-6.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the binder 10' includes a pair of substantially rectangular leaves 12 and 14. Each leaf of the binder is approximately 15" wide and 11" high to accommodate conventional size computer print-out paper. The binder leaves 12 and 14 serve as the front and rear covers for the material 24 retained between the leaves of the binder. The binder leaf 14 has a pair of hook members 16 projecting outwardly from the lateral edges of the uppermost portion of the leaf. Similarly, leaf 12 has a pair of hoo'k members 18 which project outwardly from the lateral edges of the uppermost portions of the leaf. The pairs of hook members 16 and 18 are for slidably engaging the rails (shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1) of a conventional suspension file in which the binder is adapted to be stored when it is not in use. Since the hook members '16 and 18 project outwardly from the portions of the binder leaves where the spines are positioned, the material 24 is retained in the suspension file in a hanging position.

Binder leaves 12 and 14 each include a front portion 13 and 15, respectively, a top portion 20 and 22, respectively, and a rear portion 27 and '29 (shown in FIG. 3), respectively. Since binder leaves 12 and 14 are identical, only binder leaf 14 is described in detail hereafter.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the binder 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is shown with the binder leaf 14 in an open position so that the top portion 22 of the binder leaf 14 is in the same plane as the binder leaf rear portion 29. The rear portion 29 of the binder leaf 14 normally extends downwardly from the binder leaf top portion 22 so as to be coextensive with the binder spine 25. The binder leaf 12 is shown in a closed position in FIG. 3 with the binder leaf front portion 13 extending vertically downwardly as is the binder leaf rear portion 27. The front and rear portions of the binder leaf 12 are connected by the top portion 20.

The binder spine 25 is composed of a fiat horizontally extending channel 2 6 which is bounded on each of its sides by a curved wall 28. The binder spine 25 is riveted to the rear portion 29 of the binder leaf 14 by rivets 30, 32 and 33 which extend through the binder spine and the binder leaf rear portion 29. Rivets 32 and 3-3 are both hollow.

A flexible wire which is referred to throughout this description as a spindle 36 is adapted to be inserted through the hollow rivet 32 in the binder leaf 14, through holes 24' in the material 24 to be retained and through the hollow rivet 50 in the binder leaf 12 which corresponds to rivet 32 in binder leaf :14. Assuming that the binder is lying flat, as in FIGS. 2 and 3, the vertical portion 38 of the flexible spindle 36 serves to retain the material to be bound between the rear portions 27 and 29 of the binder leaves 12 and 14, respectively. Similarly, a flexible spindle 37 is inserted through the hollow rivet 33 in the binder leaf 14, through the holes 24' in the material 24 to be retained and through a corresponding hollow rivet (not shown) in binder leaf 12 thereby providing support for both sides of the material 24 to be retained.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5, a hook member 16 is positioned at each end of the binder spine 25. Each of the hook members 16 lies fiat against the spine channel 26 and fits within the curved walls 28 of the spine. Since the binder spine 25 extends the width of the binder leaf 14, the hook members 16 extend outwardly past the lateral edges of the binder leaf and are therefore adapted to engage the parallelly extending rails in a conventional suspension file. As best illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, a cavity 32 is centrally disposed in each of the hook members 16. Furthermore, the top surface of the hook member is counter-sunk to form a recess 52. The rivet 32 extends through the hook member cavity 32' so that the head of the rivet directly engages the recessed surface 52. Accordingly, the rivet 32 retains the hook member within the spine 25.

The counter-sinking of book member '16 accomplishes a dual result. Firstly, it prevents the rivet 32 from extending upwardly to a height greater than the side wall channels 28 thereby preventing the rivet from interfering with the flat closing of the binder leaf front portion 15. Secondly, the counter-sinking of hook member 16 provides sufiicient space for the flexible spindle 36 to be bent horizontally downwardly from its vertical portion 38 so that the vertcal portion does not extend substantially above the curved walls 28 of the binder spine 25. If the vertical portion 38 of the flexible spindle 36 were permitted to extend substantially above the curved Walls 28, the spindle would interfere with the flat closing of the front portion 15 of the binder leaf.

Directly adjacent each of the hook members 16 is a locking member 40 which is positioned within the cur-'ved walls 28 of the binder spine. The. locking member 40 is slidably mounted within the binder spine 25 so that it may be moved from a position directly adjacent the hook member16 to a position away from the hook member 16. A cavity is formed through the center of the locking member 40 for receiving the horizontal portion 39 of the spindle 36. As best illustrated in FIG. 4, after the vertical portion 38 of the spindle 36 emerges from the rivet 32, it is bent horizontally downwardly, to form horizontal portion 39. The horizontal portion 39 engages a groove 42 (best illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5) which is formed in the top surface of hook member 16 and which is in communication with recess 52. The combination of the recess 52 and the groove 42 is substantially in the shape of a key-hole. The horizontal portion 39 on the flexible spindle 36 extends from the groove 42 in the hook member 16 into the cavity 54 in locking member 40.

The thickness of the cavity 54 is approximately equal to the thickness of the recess surface 52 of the hook member 16 plus the thickness of the spindle 36. Therefore, when the locking member 40 is brought into engagement with the hook member 16, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the inner surface of the cavity 54 wedges the horizontal portion 39 of the spindle 36 against the upper surface of the groove 42 of the hook member 16. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the upper surface of locking member 40 extends slightly above the curved walls 28 of the binder spine 25. Although the spindle 36 extends vertically upwardly past the curved walls 28 of the binder spine 25, the spindle does not extend above the upper surface of locking member 40.

The top portion 22 of the binder leaf 14 is formed so that the front portion 15 of the binder leaf 14 lies flat against the upper surface of the locking member 40. By maintaining the hook member 16, the spindle 36 and the rivet 32' below the height of the upper surface of the locking member 40, the front portion 15 of the binder leaf 15 is thereby permitted to close flat. This is further illustrated in FIG. 3 with regard to binder leaf 12.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6, the hook members 16 are as thick as the spine 25 within which the hook members are supported. It is necessary for the hook members to be sufliciently thick in order to support the weight of a voluminous binder and for there to be suflicient material to curvingly contour the hook members and avoid sharp edges.

While a single embodiment of various aspects of the invention has been shown in the drawings, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only, and that various changes in shape, proportion and arrangements of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

11. Binder apparatus for retaining perforated material in which the perforations are in close proximity to the lateral edges of the material, and for filing in a conventional suspension file with parallelly extending rails, comprising:

a pair of longitudinally extending channels, said channels being coincidentally aligned and spaced from one another, and being positioned such that the open portions of said channels are facing in opposite directions,

a pair of leaves, each of said leaves being positioned directly adjacent the open portion of one of said channels, the uppermost portion of each of said leaves being folded over the top edge of and behind one of said channels,

a hook shaped member being positioned at the laterally opposite ends of each of said channels, the inner portion of each said hook shaped member being fitted within one of said channels, the outer portion of each said hook shaped member extending past the end edge of said channel and defining hook means to engage one of the rails of a suspension file; said hook shaped member inner portion each having a central opening in close proximity to the end edge of said channel and a slot extending inwardly towards the center of said channel from said central opening to the inner end of said inner portion,

a hollow rivet being disposed within the central opening of said hook shaped member inner portion, said hollow rivet attaching together said leaf uppermost portion, said channel and said hook member, and

a flexible spindle extending through the perforations in the retained material and further extending through said hollow rivet, said flexible spindle being bent across said hook shaped member inner portion 1,962,726 6/ 1934 Snyder 40217 and being received in said slot, and 642,983 2/ 1900 Hoffmann 4(YZ17 a rectangular member slidably disposed within each of 849,836 4/1907 Dow 402-16 said channels adjacent the inner end of each of said FOREIGN PATENTS hook shaped members, each of sa1d rectangular mem- 5 bers having a central opening extending parallel to 742,319 12/ 1955 Brltam 40217 said channel defining a passageway between the rec- 356,111 9/1961 SWItZeTIaPd tangular member and said channel, said flexible 18,249 1914 Great Bntam 402-17 spindle passing through said passageway and being 5561774 8/1932 Germany wedged between the lower surface of said hook 10 OTHER REFERENCES shaped member inner portion slot and the upper surface of said rectangular member central opening. National Blank Book omce Appliances Feb. 1, 1970, pp. 97-98.

References Cited Wilson Jones, Oflice Appliances, p. 131, Feb. 1, 1970.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner 757,682 4/1904 Rice 402-17X 3,224,449 12/1965 Potts 402-17 3,121,432 2/1964 Schade 402-16 312-184; 402-4 507,478 10/1893 Bowry 40217 

